


Traditions

by hipsterscribbles



Series: Angelguard [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Birthday Boy Gladio, F/M, It's his party and he'll ditch if he wants to, Teen Gladiolus, Teen Jaszmin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-17
Updated: 2017-05-01
Packaged: 2018-10-19 23:09:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10650009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hipsterscribbles/pseuds/hipsterscribbles
Summary: It's been 6 years since Gladio met a hesitant Jasz and they've become best friends since then. Though they've grown close over the years Jasz has remained firm about not letting their relationship get past friendship, much to Gladiolus' dismay. But he won't give up so easily and it seems that she won't either. Some things never change. At least he gets a cupcake every year.





	1. Chapter 1

A calm seemed to settle over the rapidly emptying training room as Gladiolus rested by himself on a bench, softly panting, sweat beading on his forehead and slowly trickling down his face and neck. His eyes closed for a moment as a deep sigh left him. When his eyes opened again a satisfied grin spread across his lips. It was somewhat of a tradition for him, the way some of the more eager of the guard came to him in hopes of beating the birthday boy in sparring matches. One after the other, back to back with little rest, he took them all on, besting each one though a few actually gave him a workout. It was with a smug grin that he’d thanked the retreating contenders for another fulfilling afternoon of training. He let his mind wander as he dabbed his face dry with the small towel draped around his neck, trying to wrestle up an idea for the evening’s activities.

Of course, since it was his birthday, his friends had been plotting a party for him all week. A surprise party, although they attempted it every year so it was never an actual surprise. And every year since he was a preteen he’d somehow escaped it. Except that one year. He bit back a groan at the memory as he tossed the towel aside and grabbed up his Crownsguard hoodie, quickly slipping it on over his head.

Once his arms were through the sleeves he yanked the rest of the dark fabric down over his tank top and snatched up his cap, turning it backwards and slipping it on over his dampened hair. It was styled into what was his favorite cut for a while, the sides and back all sheared off with the top slightly longer and usually worn spiked upwards. A “Brohawk” as Jasz would call it. He couldn’t help but chuckle at that, his mind wandering over to his friend and the way she’d playfully teased him about it. Friend. That’s all she would allow. That’s all either of them had time for. Relationships in their line of work were just too hard to maintain, especially early on. Maybe one day when they were older…

With a sigh and a shake of his head Gladiolus turned to leave the training room, planning to hole himself up in his house and hope no one would be looking for him anytime soon. He’d only taken a few steps before he turned on his heel, jogging back for the discarded towel and snatching it up. He’d been scolded multiple times by multiple people for leaving his stuff lying around the training rooms -- “For Astrals sake, Gladiolus, this is not your bedroom!” -- and he wasn’t too keen on getting yet another lecture. Another sigh left him as he made his way to the exit once again, idly twirling the towel around in one hand while the other slid into the kangaroo pocket of his hoodie.

He hadn’t made it completely out of the room, however, as an arm shot out across the open doorway in front of him, barring him from exiting. It would have been nothing to plow right through that arm, he was already over 6’ in height and his lean body was hard and muscled due to years of training. He only stopped because he recognized the arm; long and slender but laced with lean muscle, decorated with periodic dottings of moles and freckles with a couple of small, thin scars marring the otherwise smooth, caramel complected skin. And at the end of that arm the hand held a small confectionery in its palm. A cupcake, vanilla with purple frosting swirled around on top and sprinkled with tiny, white star shaped candies.

“Jasz.” he greeted simply, his gaze moving sideways from the cupcake to his long time friend’s face. “Glads.” her greeting was just as simple as she stared up at him, her chocolate brown eyes seeming to spark with amusement though she wasn’t smiling. He found himself silently staring at her, something he did way too often as far as she was concerned. It couldn’t be helped, she was beautiful even though she refused to see it. He’d seen it on the very first day they met and it seemed to only get better as she aged. He watched as her eyebrows furrowed and her eyes narrowed, his own amber hues darting down to her lips in anticipation of what she would do next. Just as he expected her to, Jasz pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth and bit down lightly. This was the face she always made when she caught him staring at her.

“Sorry.” he muttered half-heartedly as he pulled his hand out of his pocket and reached up to take the cupcake from her, something that was routine for them since his 10th birthday. She’d given him a cupcake then too, as she did every year so far. Always the same kind, vanilla with purple frosting and white star sprinkles. It was the highlight of every birthday although he’d never admit that to her. She’d probably stop doing it if he did. “No you’re not…” she accused as she lowered her arm, stepping away from the door to lean with her back against the wall next to it. Her eyes were downcast as she crossed her arms beneath her chest. “Nah, I’m not.” he chuckled as he sauntered out of the doorway and stood in front of her.

“So. Sweet 16, huh?” Gladiolus smirked at her well-practiced lighthearted tone. He watched as she lifted her gaze although she wouldn’t really look directly at him. She was gazing off down the hall at nothing in particular. With a shrug he draped his towel around his neck and started peeling the paper from his cupcake to take a big bite. “Nothing sweet about me.” he murmured around a mouth full of cake and icing. He was rewarded with a small smile from her, her eyes finally settling on his face. “Oh, trust me, I know.” She tried to fake a grimace but it quickly ended up morphing back into a smile.

“Your surprise party is shaping up nicely. Lots of balloons and streamers and stuff.” It was clear that she was holding back her laughter as she carefully watched his face. She knew how much he hated birthday parties and that he always ditched them when he could. “Where?” he’d asked after swallowing his mouthful, his eyes sliding shut. There was a pause as Jasz watched him, thoroughly enjoying his discomfort, no doubt. “In the guard room… The prince invited me but you know I don’t do social gatherings.” Of course Noctis was involved.

He took a moment to run through the people most likely to attend in his head. No doubt the little prince would weasel his adviser, Ignis, into going and probably Clarus too, though he was sure that his dad wouldn’t leave the king’s side for very long. Iris would be there too, Noctis would be sure of that. Gladiolus made a mental note to somehow make it up to her later for skipping out. The party was usually put together by a few of his friends on the guard, though, and some of the others would likely tag along, eager to buddy up to him to get in good the graces of the royal family, no doubt. “Ugh…” Gladiolus shook his head as his eyes reopened and darted down the hall towards the guard room. After another second he turned and strode off in the opposite direction.

“You bailing?” He didn’t have to turn his head to know that she’d caught up with him and was now at his side, quickening her pace to keep up with his long strides though she was pretty tall herself, for a girl, anyway. “Hmph. ‘Course I am.” he grunted at her, finishing the rest of his cupcake in one bite and balling up the wrapper to shove into his pocket. He’d have to remember to find a bin to toss it into later. “Thanks, by the way.” He pat his pocket as he flashed a smile over at her, “Delicious as always.”

“No sweat. So where you gonna go?” she inquired, trying to remain nonchalant but he knew better. She enjoyed being around him just as much as he liked being around her. She’d never admit it but actions speak louder than words and the two couldn’t really stay away from each other for too long. He pursed his lips as he thought about her question, maybe it was time to make an actual plan if she was going to tag along. He’d take a date over a surprise party any day. “Home. Unless you got a better idea?” he quirked a brow as he glanced over at her, a smile playing at the corners of his lips.

Surprisingly she flashed a wide, bright smile back at him. “Actually I do.” She fell back a few steps as she replied. He was about to question her when she got a running start and hopped up onto his back, forcing him into giving her a piggyback ride. He could only laugh as she draped her arms around his neck, his hands moving under her legs to hoist her up a bit higher and wrap them around his waist. Her excitement had her breaking her own rules. They didn’t usually get this close with the exception of a few occasions, and those were usually his fault. He decided not to question her actions now, taking advantage of her momentary lapse in judgement to enjoy it.

He took in her scent -- which always reminded him of a bakery with the smell of cocoa and sweet vanilla -- and tried not to think too much about the feel of her soft thighs in his large hands and her legs wrapped tightly around him. It was even more of a challenge not to think of her warm body pressed up against his back, open and uninhibited in this moment. And he had to work extra hard to not daydream about what it would feel like to turn her so that she was clinging to the front of him instead. It was a death sentence waiting to happen, she’d surely kill him if she knew what he was thinking. As they made their way out of the training hall she pointed in the general direction of the nearest station, making him laugh as she excitedly called out, “To the subway, trusty steed!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jasz helps Gladio ditch his birthday party by bringing him somewhere unexpected. The exchange between her and a male employee causes a little concern but that is quickly overshadowed by the fact that Gladio will have her all to himself for a while. In a pool. Wearing a bathing suit.

“This is your big idea?” Gladiolus quirked an eyebrow as he glanced around himself. Jasz’s mini adventure had led them to Citadel Station where they boarded the subway and traveled a good distance away from the Citadel. They’d ended up at a public indoor swimming pool that seemed to be vacant besides a very bored looking attendant. Jasz had chatted with the guy as if she knew him, addressed him by first name and everything. Gladiolus caught himself wondering what their relationship was, then shook his head at himself because it didn’t matter. She wasn’t his. But still it would be nice to know what he was up against…

“Most people don’t come here until late May so it’s empty more often than not.” She’d taken his hand, much to his pleasure, and led him to the pool area. As they were walking away he’d caught the eye of the attendant and thought he looked wistful, maybe even jealous. _Yea, that’s right buddy. Set your sights somewhere else._ He’d thought with a smirk. “And you know me,” Jasz continued, oblivious to anything going on between the two males. “Girl from the City on the Sea and all that. I love the water.” He was pulled from his thoughts by her words and the fact that she was no longer holding his hand. It was all too tempting to frown and grab her hand again, so he carefully folded his arms across his chest instead. “Just not what I was expecting, ‘s all.”

“What _were_ you expecting?” She glanced up at him with a look that was somehow expectant. She knew what he was thinking, had to. She knew him so well that he didn’t doubt for a second that she’d guessed what he wanted. He’d thought maybe she’d changed her mind and would actually take him on a birthday date. Although now that he thought about it neither one of them was dressed for anything like that, with him still in his training clothes and her fresh off of guard duty donning her Crownsguard attire. He would have easily admitted that but he’d learned a long time ago that less is more with Jasz. If he tried to lead her into it she would only push him away. Slow and steady…

“I don’t know but it wasn’t this.” He grinned over at her before his eyes darted around the pool area. Or maybe pools would be more correct. There were two of them, one massive and one smaller with umbrella shaped structures gushing water like mini waterfalls. He’d noticed that the larger pool tapered off on both ends, forming some kind of a lazy river type thing around the smaller pool. The whole place was as bright as a summer’s day despite the setting sun outside and it was decorated to give off a tropical vibe with fake palm trees and sand colored floors and tiki styled furnishings. There were brightly colored rings and chocobo shaped floats littered all around them, some even drifting here and there of their own accord, either abandoned by their last users or hastily tossed in by a slothful worker. He had to admit, the water did look refreshing and inviting especially with the workout he’d previously had.

  
“So? What do you think? Care for a swim?” He smiled at the excitement in her voice, unable to decline when she sounded so eager. And she wanted him _with_ her. _And_ it meant that he could see her in a swimsuit… “Don’t have anything to swim in.” He hedged, his tone was teasing and he’d began to wonder if she would mind if he jumped in wearing nothing but his underwear. But he was sorely in need of a shower first. She just shrugged and pointed back in the direction of the lobby. “You can buy a pair of trunks. Shon knows you’re with me, he might give you a good discount.” He visibly cringed at that. Shon. The attendant who surely wished he was in Gladiolus’ place right now. Selling him swimwear. The way she said his name had Gladiolus wondering, again, just who he was to her. With a sigh he nodded, unfolding his arms and nearly stomping back the way they came. “This should be interesting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very short and kinda lazy chapter, sorry! The next one is a lot longer and hopefully better. I'll post that one later today... Enjoy!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladio follows Jasz's advice and goes to buy something he can swim in. Once he encounters the spiteful male employee, however, he finds that buying swimwear was going to be a bit more difficult than he thought. Hopefully he can keep his irritation at bay so that he can really enjoy his evening with the girl he hopes would become more than just his friend.

He figured he was probably taking longer than he should with his shower but he needed time for the hot water to soothe his muscles. And his annoyance. The encounter with the attendant had went about as well as he expected it to, though it probably didn’t help that Gladiolus was just a bit more antagonistic to the other man than was usual for him.

-*`o0o`*-

When he’d made it to the lobby he was greeted by the unfriendly, unsmiling face of _Shon_. Gladiolus took the time to look the attendant over. He was decent looking, sure. Older, probably, closer to Jasz’s age than his own. Shoulder length light brown hair, hazel eyes, well defined nose, wide lips with a perfect cupid’s bow, strong jawline. Not as tall and muscular as Gladiolus but he was no shrimp either. Probably a swimmer, too. Shon’s eyes narrowed as he waited for Gladiolus to tell him what he wanted, his fingers tapping impatiently against the counter in between them. That made Gladiolus smile spitefully.

“So my _girlfriend_ brought me here for my birthday, as a surprise, you know? Only I didn’t think to bring a suit. She said her _buddy_ up here at the front could help me out with that.” He tried not to look too smug as he leaned with one arm on the countertop but it couldn’t be helped. He really enjoyed that the attendant’s eyes got real squinty at the word girlfriend.

“That’s funny, after all these years I never heard Minnie mention a boyfriend. Don’t think I’ve seen her on any dates or anything either.” Shon looked like he had to work at keeping his tone casual, a smirk popping onto his face when Gladiolus raised an eyebrow at the nickname for Jasz. _Minnie?_ Gladiolus simply shrugged, “Yeah well when you work for royalty like we do you gotta keep things kinda hush.” He straightened from the counter, a serious look on his face as he took off his cap. “I hope you can keep this to yourself, wouldn’t want _Jazzy_ to get reprimanded.” He flashed a smile and ran a hand through his hair before replacing his cap, facing forward this time so that the Crownsguard insignia was front and center. He trusted wholeheartedly that his bluff wouldn’t be called, civilians weren’t privy to the inner workings of the Guard or even the Glaives.

“Oh of course, anything to keep Minnie out of trouble. It would suck if our weekly swimming sessions were cut off. I know how much she loves them.” Shon’s smile was polite now although there was a hint of mockery in it. Gladiolus grunted in agreement, his thick eyebrows furrowing as he folded his arms across his chest, making sure the Crownsguard insignia was visible there too. “Nah, wouldn’t want that.” he flexed his biceps trying to be more intimidating only to scowl as he realized his hoodie would hide most of the bulk. If only he’d taken it off first.

“So about those swim trunks…” He’d had enough of this Shon, he wanted to get back to his girl that wasn’t his girl. The attendant nodded and plastered on one of those fake “for the customer” smiles. “Ah right. And for a _friend_ of Minnie’s I can give you a 3% discount!” He was still smiling in that irritatingly condescending way as he ducked down behind the counter. In seconds he straightened up and placed a fold of fabric that looked too small to be trunks in front of Gladiolus. “The hell is this?” He was downright irritable as he gingerly picked up the fabric, pinching it between his thumb and forefinger. Shon looked like he was trying not to look too pleased with himself, “That, _sir_ , is swimwear.” Gladiolus looked from the fabric to the attendant, raising an incredulous eyebrow.

“Swimwear for who?”

“For you, of course, _sir_. Did you not inquire about purchasing something to swim in?”

“I said trunks.”

“I’m sorry, _sir_ , but we are fresh out and shipments don’t usually come in until the end of the week.”

“Get a lot of traffic in here during the off season, huh?”

Shon didn’t seem to have an answer for that, he just stood there smiling and irritating Gladiolus even further. He’d had enough with this, it was time to go before he got in trouble for bashing a swimming pool attendant’s face in. “Fine.” He wasted no time in pulling out his wallet for a few bills, slamming them down on the counter without bothering to count them and walking away with his sorry excuse for a swimsuit.

-*`o0o`*-

With a sigh Gladiolus turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, not bothering to dry off completely before slipping on his tiny swimwear. Big mistake, it seemed to only make things worse. He’d had to wiggle around and jump up and down a few times to get the damned crotch trap of a swimsuit where it needed to be. It took some adjusting and a whole lot of frowning at his horribly confined junk in the mirror but at least it was the right size. Any smaller and he’d probably be fined for indecent exposure, either that or Jasz would murder him for flashing her. He sighed and stuffed his belongings into an empty locker before making his way back to the pool. Hopefully she wouldn’t laugh him out of the building.

Just as he expected, he was greeted with hysterical laughter after leaving the shower rooms. “What… Is… _That_ …? I thought you were getting trunks?” Jasz let out another howl of laughter as she tread water in the middle of the larger pool. If he didn’t know any better he’d think she had actual tears in her eyes though her face was already wet, probably from being submerged just a few moments before. “Yeah yeah, get it all out, _Minnie_.” He was moving to get into the pool when the laughter suddenly stopped, his movement halting in time with the sudden silence.

“What did you just call me?” Jasz stared up at him with narrowed eyes, her question coming out through her teeth. Gladiolus eyed her for a second, wondering where this sudden irritation was coming from. Maybe there was more to this Shon guy after all. “What? Your little boyfriend can call you that but I can’t?” He scoffed as he crouched down at the edge of the pool and fluidly slipped into the water. He’d braced himself, fully expecting to be met with the frigid chill usually associated with swimming pools but the water was a moderate temperature. Not nearly as warm as bathwater but warm enough to be comfortable while also being refreshing. “No. I hate that nickname! I already told him to stop calling me that. I swear I’m gonna shove a polearm straight up his--” Gladiolus was pleased that the nickname didn’t hold any weight with her, in fact he was thrilled that it pissed her off to the point of promising violence.

His laugh was so loud that it cut off the end of her sentence, earning him an inquisitive stare from her. “He was probably just trying to get a rise out of me. I’m sure he’s got the hots for you, Jazzy.” Gladiolus really didn’t want to help the guy out, watching Jasz tear him a new one would have been highly entertaining. But he was hoping to get some insight into their relationship. She pleased him even further by rolling her eyes and waving a hand, a dismissive gesture. _His_ nickname for her she actually liked. “He knows it’s not like that.” She stated simply as she leaned backwards, kicking her long legs up so that she was floating on her back.

Satisfied with her answer, Gladiolus slipped deeper into the clear, blue water and submerged himself. He felt his muscles stretch with every movement, the water soothingly flowing around his still shower-heated skin as he slowly made his way over to where Jasz was floating serenely. He resurfaced and stopped just out of reach of her, floating close enough to clearly see her face. She had her eyes closed, her lips turned up slightly at the corners in content. Her long, dark brown curls had been taken out of its usual braid and now flowed around her head making her look angelic. Mystical. Divine. His eyes briefly raked over the rest of her. She’d put on a red one piece bathing suit that hugged her soft curves, though the sides and back were exposed due to the cutout design. But he didn’t keep his eyes on her body, though glorious as it was. Her face warranted his attention the most. He’d always thought she’d looked like an angel, soft and sweet. He quickly came to realize how much the opposite of that was true and somehow he liked that better.

He liked the rough around the edges Jasz. The Jasz who excelled at martial arts and double wielding blades. The Jasz who could hold her own in a fight and wouldn’t back down from what was right. The Jasz who blatantly smothered her feelings for him because she didn’t want to distract him from the extremely important job of being the prince’s shield. The Jasz who loved the color red and seafood and sushi and jazzy instrumentals and dancey electronic music and back rubs and rainy days and the same romance novels that he’d gotten into lately. The Jasz who was too stubborn for her own good and often needed to be argued with in order to save her from herself. The Jasz whose temper flared almost as much as his did. The Jasz who could somehow soothe him even at the worst of times. The Jasz who hated dressing up and wearing makeup but wears it damn well when she needs to. The Jasz he liked was complex and complicated and a bit of a handful at times but he liked it. All of it.

“Cut it out, Glads.” For one wild second Gladiolus thought she’d read his mind. He’d realized that he’d spaced out and had floated closer to her, his calloused fingertips tracing spirals up and down her arm. He grinned sheepishly, though she still had her eyes closed, and paddled away from her. “I’d say I’m sorry but--” She sighed and finished his sentence before he could, “But you’re not. Yeah yeah.” She opened one eye and glanced over at him, a soft smile on her lips. He would have said something more but felt there was no point. Instead he decided to try things her way, kicking up his legs and floating on his back with his arms spread at his sides. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had fun writing this one hahahah. Shon is just a random oc that popped into my head. He's a lil shit but I like him and will probably use him more in these stories, heh. BTW I read this chapter back and thought that Gladio probably seemed a bit different here than, say, in the game. Then I realized that it's because teen!Gladio isn't quite what adult!Gladio is yet. Adult Gladio probably would have been amused by Shon and would have worked the hell out of that speedo okay. But anywho, one more chapter to go. Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jasz finds herself conflicted when the situation quickly goes from playful to intimate. The decision between doing what she thinks is right and what both she and Gladio want is a tough one and she needs to make up her mind before things go too far.

“Cut it out, Glads.” I’d hoped I spoke with enough conviction because, truth be told, the feeling of his rough fingers on my skin felt divine. His touch had sent what felt like an electric current through me, coursing through my veins and heating my skin all over from the inside out. I wanted him to continue, to tell him how his electrifying touch made me feel more alive than anything I’d ever felt. It felt right but it was, in reality, wrong. I needed to rein myself in before things got out of hand.

“I’d say I’m sorry but--”

“But you’re not. Yeah yeah.” I couldn’t help but smile when I peeked over at him with one eye. He was so cute when he did that, he looked a bit sheepish yet somehow smug. Like he knew very well that I didn’t actually mind as much as I tried to make it seem. Like he was testing me, an opponent circling and feinting and falling back only to do it all over again, trying to reveal any weakness he could use to his advantage. I bit back a sigh as I realized that was exactly what he was doing, had been doing for years. He knew I was the most stubborn person around and yet he still tried. And it didn’t help that he knew deep down how I really felt about him. I hadn’t directly told him, of course not, but anyone who paid attention could easily tell that my sometimes standoffish attitude was not for my benefit but for his. And no one was as aware of me as he was.

I opened my other eye as I watched him mimic me and float on his back, his own eyes closed as he drifted a short distance away. Carefully and quietly I shifted back to a position where I could tread water, into a position where I could see him more clearly. It was wrong, so wrong, but I let my eyes slowly rake up and down his form. I eyed his face, his neck, his broad shoulders, his muscular chest, his well-defined abs… And I stopped there, refusing to let my eyes go any further. I’d already gotten an eye full when he stepped out of the shower rooms and had to laugh to keep myself from gawking with my tongue hanging out. He’d looked like a god, still wet and glistening from his shower, and his new swimsuit did very little to hide his potential. I almost sighed, almost gave myself away as my eyes trail back up his body to his face. _Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all._ I wracked my brain to figure out a way to keep myself from crossing a line I would regret crossing later.

I grinned as an idea came to me and I swam backward a bit to get the distance I needed. With my arms out to my sides and my palms facing front, I thrust my arms forward, trying to cause the biggest wave possible. My hands, while not exactly small, weren’t huge either so it wasn’t that impressive but it did the job. I watched as Gladio sputtered and wrenched himself upright when the wave hit him full on in the face. I could barely contain my laughter as he blinked at me, the look on his face was one of betrayal and it promised revenge. I knew where his thoughts were before he even moved and that had me scrambling to escape.

“Oh, it’s like that, huh?” 

I squealed as I tried to paddle away from the oncoming waves and splashes, much more sizeable than mine due to his much larger hands and superior strength. He laughed as he sent wave after wave at me, some of which I’d successfully dodged but I caught a few full on. As I pushed my dripping hair back from my face and wiped my eyes I heard him paddling towards me. Another squeal left me and I tried unsuccessfully to paddle away from him. The laughter couldn’t be helped as his long arms reached out to me, catching me with little problem. I tried to fight his iron grip in vain and could only look at him with a mock scowl as he lifted me over his head. “Don’t you dare…” I playfully warned him. His only reaction was to grin while he tossed me upwards and away from himself. The fact that I’d completely expected him to do it allowed me just enough time to hold my breath before I hit the water not far from where he was. He was laughing louder than before when I resurfaced which made me grin ruefully at him. “That’s funny, huh?”

“Hilarious.”

He’d barked out his reply in between fits of laughter but the mischievous glint in my eyes had him backing up. “C’mere, I’ll show you hilarious.” I pushed my hair out of my face once again and began swimming after him. He’d turned to actively swim away from me this time, laughing the whole while, but I was the faster one on land and in water. I’d caught up to him and clung to his back, planting my hands on his head and using my weight to push him down under the water. There was more laughter as I started to back away, fully expecting him to retaliate. So when he grabbed onto me before he resurfaced it wasn’t fully unsuspected. What I didn’t expect, though, was the way he'd pulled me into his arms, a grin on his face as he blinked the water from his eyes.

“Alright alright, you win, girl from the City on the Sea.”

 _This is wrong this is wrong this is wrong._ The thought kept repeating in my head but I couldn’t find it in me to make him let me go. Sensing my hesitation he pulled me in tighter to his body. My head was reeling at the sensation. Being in his arms was a feeling that I would never forget. It felt like the world had melted away, that it was just us and there was nothing to distract us from each other. It was a feeling like coming home and getting comfy on the couch with snacks and the tv remote after a particularly long day. It felt like I belonged here in his arms like this. With a sigh and a weak smile, I raised a hand to push back his wet hair which was long enough at the top to fall just above his brows and drip water into his eyes. From there my hand moved downwards, my fingers trailing behind his ear and down the length of his jaw to rest my palm against his cheek. His amber eyes seemed to smolder as he stared at me, the grin slowly fading from his face. His expression became more intense, determined. His eyes trailed down to my lips which parted under the weight of his gaze. My breathing quickened as his head began to lean towards mine and my eyes slid shut. Expecting. Anticipating. Wanting. _This is wrong!_ It was a wake-up call, my mental voice, like an alarm that always seemed to go off at exactly the right ( _or wrong_ ) time. “Ah. Glads. We can’t…” If I doubted my words I’m sure he did as well. We both wanted this.

“The hell we can’t…”

I shook my head and opened my eyes, hoping to convey how serious I was with a look. “No. We can’t.” I watched the emotions flash across his face. Desire, need, disappointment, and then a fractured sort of calm. He’d  barely gotten his emotions in check but I could tell that he had to really work at it, and even then it was slipping from him. The disappointment was still apparent. “I’m sorry...” I whispered, fervently meaning it. I wanted to let go but I just couldn’t. “We can’t. Not tonight. Maybe… Maybe when you’re older.” The words slipped from my mouth before I knew what I was saying. There wasn’t that much of a difference between our ages -- only 2 years as a matter of fact -- so why did it matter? Just what was I proposing? I was distracted by his sudden snort, the disbelieving sound making my eyes open to warily eye his face.

“If you think I’m some inexperienced kid then--”

I shook my head again and grinned, of course he would be thinking that way. I’m no fool, I know that girls pretty much threw themselves at him and that a few of them gained his attention as well. And that was fine with me, that was the way it should be anyway. “It’s not about your experience, okay? We’ll talk about it another time, it’s getting late.” He didn’t say anything but he let me push myself out of his arms. The sensation was nearly painful and the water felt colder than when I first entered in the pool. With a sigh I swam to the edge and pulled myself out, turning to see that he hadn’t moved at all. He grinned sheepishly up at me when I gave him a questioning look, shaking his head and waving me off.

“I’m, uh, gonna need a minute. To get things back under control.”

I would have laughed if I weren’t the one responsible for that. Instead, I nodded and turned away to head into the women’s shower rooms, fighting the urge not to turn around and jump back into that water with him. Fighting the urge not to give in to exactly what both of us wanted.

-*`o0o`*-

When we both finished our showers and was dressed again, I’d tried to apologize once more but he only shook his head, smiled, and told me to stop apologizing for something I thought was necessary. I’d thought him very mature for that and I didn’t miss that he’d said what _I thought_ was necessary. He was perfectly fine with the way things were going, I was the problem. I’d had to suppress a sigh at that and ended up slipping my hand into his. We were holding hands when we left, our fingers intertwined like lovers, so when I went to wave goodbye to Shon like I usually did I noticed that he looked particularly sulky. _Men._ He was usually such an upbeat person but now he just looked like a kid who was told he couldn’t have dessert before dinner. It was kind of funny but somehow a bit sad and I’d found myself wondering about the exchange between him and Gladio earlier. I’d also begun to wonder if our friendship would be strained from now on and the thought had me dreading my next visit to the pool. _Great._ First Gladio now Shon, I was really fucking up when it came to my friendships with these guys. It wasn’t like I meant to and I knew that I wasn’t _completely_ at fault for that, but it still made me feel ridiculously guilty. _Suck it up,_ Jasz _, it’s not like you have to date everyone who wants you._ I had to internally remind myself. And yet, the guilt still remained.

On the subway ride back to Citadel Station I leaned my head on Gladio’s shoulder. Besides a few strained words we had both been silent since we left the pool. I stared down at my hand still enveloped his and started debating with myself about the decision I’d made, something I found myself doing often these days. On the one hand, I liked Gladio, _really_ liked him. There was no doubt in my mind that I’d end up falling in love with him sooner rather than later. And I knew for a fact that he felt the same way about me, he wasn’t so shy in telling me exactly how he felt about _anything_ , never had been. But he was basically born to give his life for the prince -- the king of our future. We, as the next generation of Guard, were lectured plenty of times about how we needed to be careful of distractions and relationships could be one hell of a distraction. I was positive that I would only make things harder for him and I didn’t think I could live with myself if something happened to the prince because I’d distracted his shield. And if the shield himself got hurt because of me...

“So I was thinkin’...”

Gladio’s voice pulled me out of my reverie and I found myself thankful for the distraction. With the way my thoughts were going I would have ended up depressing myself. I shifted a bit to grin up at him and playfully poke at his chest with my free hand. “What’s this? Glads is thinking? Somebody call the tabloids this is news!” He chuckled at me and let go of my hand so that he could drape his arm around my shoulder and ruffle my hair. It was still a bit damp from my shower and I’d decided not to put it in the single braid like I usually did, so I had to scowl up at him for potentially leading my loose curls down the path to a tangled, frizzy mess to deal with later. He chuckled again as he helped me smooth out the minor tangles he’d already caused.

 “I’ve been known to do that sometimes. I’m not just made of muscle, you know. But I was thinkin’ that there’s gonna be a pissed off 8 year old waiting for me when I get home.”

 I laughed at that as I imagined little Iris Amicitia standing at the door with her tiny arms folded across her chest and an angry pout on her cute little face. She’d definitely be mad at Gladio for skipping out on his birthday, she enjoyed them probably more than he did. I nodded as I followed his train of thought. “Big bro’s in big trouble. How’re you gonna make up for it this time?” In my head, I ran through the times when he’d spent the better part of a week trying to apologize to his little sister for missing his own birthday party and wondered if bribing her by getting her whatever she wanted would work this time. As Iris got older she got smarter and craftier when it came to handling her big brother. Gladio shrugged and pulled out his phone, ignoring all the missed calls and texts that no doubt became more surly as they progressed.

 “Gotta call my dad. Looks like we're gonna have that party after all. A small one, just the Amicitias and a Felinus. We’re gonna have to pick up a cake, you up for it?”

I tried not to let on how happy I was to be included in what he thought of as a family activity but no doubt he knew it anyway. A smile spread across my face and I nodded in agreement, this sort of social gathering I could deal with. “Let’s do it. We should pick up some balloons and party hats too, for the full effect.” I grinned at the look on his face as he groaned. He wouldn’t disagree, though, this was more for his sister than for himself and she would love having balloons and hats to accompany the cake. I silently admired Gladio as a big brother, he was so protective of his little sister both physically and mentally and he would pretty much do anything for her. It was so endearing and it only made me fall for him even more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, finally done! I hope the pov switch doesn't throw things off, I just really wanted to show what goes through Jasz's mind when stuff like this happens. I also tried to explain why she is the way she is with Gladio but I'm not sure I succeeded. I think I just ended up rambling but ah well~ I hope you enjoyed and as always, thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Another one written for myself for Gladio's birthday~ It was supposed to be short and sweet like the first one but I tend to get carried away so this one is in 4 parts! I realize that this may have gotten a bit ooc but... Just let me have teen Gladio who's too cool for birthday parties okay... Please. Anyways, I hope anyone who read it enjoyed it!


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